Tassajara’s ninety-day practice period follows the traditional Soto Zen monastic schedule. The practice period is an opportunity for experienced practitioners to join with the Tassajara community in intensive practice at Zen Mountain Center (Zenshinji).

Prerequisite for practice at Tassajara is completion of at least one residential practice period at San Francisco Zen Center’s City Center or Green Gulch Farm; or equivalent experience.

Practice Period fees*: $3600 US (plus $30 application fee), which covers room, board and tuition. Payment in full is required upon arrival at Tassajara unless another arrangement is made in advance with the director. Unfortunately, we are not able to offer financial scholarships for practice periods. However, a scholarship (which includes room, board and tuition) may be earned by participating in the Work Practice Apprenticeship Program.

(*As the basic operating expenses for the practice period are in excess of $4500 per student, please feel free to donate more if you are able.)

Rinso Ed Sattizahn (Abiding Abbot, City Center)After meeting Suzuki Roshi in 1970, Rinso Ed Sattizahn lived at Tassajara and later served as Zen Center's vice president, president, and board chair. From 1983 to 2000 Ed held various executive positions in the microcomputer software industry. In 2003, he was shuso at Green Gulch Farm, and in the same year co-founded Vimala Sangha in Mill Valley with Lew Richmond. Now an ordained priest with dharma transmission (from Lew Richmond), he remains the guiding teacher at Vimala Sangha Mill Valley. He became abiding abbot of Zen Center's City Center in March 2014.